When the Mohan Lal Sukhadia University here invited applications for the post of 15 peons, 3,440 people responded. One had a PhD and another a MBA degree. The university, about 400 km from Jaipur, conducted the interviews July 23-24. Another candidate was a Masters of Computer Applications (MCA) and yet another a Masters of Library Science. There was a post-graduate too. Anyone who had passed Class 8 was eligible for the post, provided he or she had a fair knowledge of Hindi and English. The basic salary? Rs.4,700, to go up eventually to Rs.7,440.

One highly educated candidate who applied told on the condition of anonymity, why he was so desperate for a job. "After completing my MBA from a private institute, I am finding it difficult to get a job. So I applied here for the post of peon," he said. "I have not disclosed this to my parents because they will be shocked. I will tell them once I get the job."